Founded in 1965 by Davis Bynum, the first winery on Westside Road. Bynum bottled the first single-vineyard Russian River Pinot Noir, the 1973 Rochioli, and helped establish the appellation. Sold to the Klein family in 2007, with winemaker Greg Morthole leading since 2010. Tastings now pour at Rodney Strong.
Davis Bynum was a true Russian River Valley pioneer. A San Francisco wine merchant turned winemaker, he founded his namesake winery in 1965 and a decade later released the first single-vineyard Pinot Noir to come out of the Russian River Valley — the 1973 Rochioli Vineyard bottling — a wine that helped establish the appellation's identity as a Pinot Noir region of consequence. Bynum was the first winery on Westside Road and an early mentor to a generation of California winemakers including Gary Farrell, who began his career as Bynum's assistant winemaker. The historic ivy-covered hop barn winery on Westside Road served as the production facility and tasting room for more than four decades.
Jane's Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley — An earthy, red-fruited single-vineyard Pinot from deep in the valley.
River West Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley — From the estate's crown-jewel vineyard in the heart of the appellation.
Lindley's Knoll Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley — A highly rated single-vineyard bottling (Wine Enthusiast 91–92).
River West Chardonnay, Russian River Valley — Estate Chardonnay grown in sandy-loam and gravelly Cortina soils near the river.
Virginia's Block Sauvignon Blanc, Jane's Vineyard — A bright white from the producer who bottled the first vineyard-designated Russian River Pinot Noir in 1973.
In 2007, ready to retire, Bynum hand-picked his successors: the Klein family — fourth-generation California farmers and proprietors of Rodney Strong Vineyards — who took over the brand while honoring Bynum's vineyard-driven philosophy. Tom Klein continues as proprietor, working with winemaker Greg Morthole, who joined the Rodney Strong team in 2005, became associate winemaker in 2007, and was promoted to Davis Bynum winemaker in 2010. The flagship Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are estate-grown at the 60-acre River West Vineyard in the heart of the appellation, with additional single-vineyard bottlings from sources including the legendary Rochioli Vineyard. Tastings are now poured by appointment at the Rodney Strong Vineyards tasting room in Healdsburg, Thursday through Monday, with both indoor seating and an outdoor Terrace.
Greg Morthole studied natural sciences at the University of Wyoming before finding his way to Sonoma County, taking an early role at the Vinquiry lab under Marty Bannister and MaryAnn Graf and then an enologist post at Chalk Hill. He joined Rodney Strong Wine Estates in 2005 as a quality-control lab manager, rose to associate winemaker in 2007, and in 2010 was promoted to winemaker of Davis Bynum — the historic label, founded in 1973, that produced the Russian River Valley's first vineyard-designated Pinot Noir. He came to know founder Davis Bynum personally in the winery's later years, and counts Rick Sayre, David Ramey, and Bynum himself among his mentors. Working in a low-impact, vineyard-first style, he crafts Davis Bynum's Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc and also makes the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for Rodney Strong.
Davis Bynum was a Russian River Valley pioneer. A UC Berkeley history graduate and San Francisco Chronicle journalist, he turned a home-winemaking passion into a career, and in 1973 — newly arrived on Westside Road — he made the first single-vineyard Pinot Noir ever labeled Russian River Valley, from Joe Rochioli’s fruit, a full decade before the appellation existed. His was the first winery on what is now the valley’s most famous road, and he hired a young Gary Farrell as his winemaker. He sold the brand to the Klein family of Rodney Strong in 2007 and died in 2017 at 92, remembered as one of the region’s founding icons.
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Jane's Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley — An earthy, red-fruited single-vineyard Pinot from deep in the valley.
River West Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley — From the estate's crown-jewel vineyard in the heart of the appellation.
Lindley's Knoll Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley — A highly rated single-vineyard bottling (Wine Enthusiast 91–92).
River West Chardonnay, Russian River Valley — Estate Chardonnay grown in sandy-loam and gravelly Cortina soils near the river.
Virginia's Block Sauvignon Blanc, Jane's Vineyard — A bright white from the producer who bottled the first vineyard-designated Russian River Pinot Noir in 1973.
Davis Bynum was a true Russian River Valley pioneer. A San Francisco wine merchant turned winemaker, he founded his namesake winery in 1965 and a decade later released the first single-vineyard Pinot Noir to come out of the Russian River Valley — the 1973 Rochioli Vineyard bottling — a wine that helped establish the appellation's identity as a Pinot Noir region of consequence. Bynum was the first winery on Westside Road and an early mentor to a generation of California winemakers including Gary Farrell, who began his career as Bynum's assistant winemaker. The historic ivy-covered hop barn winery on Westside Road served as the production facility and tasting room for more than four decades.
In 2007, ready to retire, Bynum hand-picked his successors: the Klein family — fourth-generation California farmers and proprietors of Rodney Strong Vineyards — who took over the brand while honoring Bynum's vineyard-driven philosophy. Tom Klein continues as proprietor, working with winemaker Greg Morthole, who joined the Rodney Strong team in 2005, became associate winemaker in 2007, and was promoted to Davis Bynum winemaker in 2010. The flagship Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are estate-grown at the 60-acre River West Vineyard in the heart of the appellation, with additional single-vineyard bottlings from sources including the legendary Rochioli Vineyard. Tastings are now poured by appointment at the Rodney Strong Vineyards tasting room in Healdsburg, Thursday through Monday, with both indoor seating and an outdoor Terrace.
Greg Morthole studied natural sciences at the University of Wyoming before finding his way to Sonoma County, taking an early role at the Vinquiry lab under Marty Bannister and MaryAnn Graf and then an enologist post at Chalk Hill. He joined Rodney Strong Wine Estates in 2005 as a quality-control lab manager, rose to associate winemaker in 2007, and in 2010 was promoted to winemaker of Davis Bynum — the historic label, founded in 1973, that produced the Russian River Valley's first vineyard-designated Pinot Noir. He came to know founder Davis Bynum personally in the winery's later years, and counts Rick Sayre, David Ramey, and Bynum himself among his mentors. Working in a low-impact, vineyard-first style, he crafts Davis Bynum's Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc and also makes the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for Rodney Strong.
Davis Bynum was a Russian River Valley pioneer. A UC Berkeley history graduate and San Francisco Chronicle journalist, he turned a home-winemaking passion into a career, and in 1973 — newly arrived on Westside Road — he made the first single-vineyard Pinot Noir ever labeled Russian River Valley, from Joe Rochioli’s fruit, a full decade before the appellation existed. His was the first winery on what is now the valley’s most famous road, and he hired a young Gary Farrell as his winemaker. He sold the brand to the Klein family of Rodney Strong in 2007 and died in 2017 at 92, remembered as one of the region’s founding icons.
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